Rs 5 lakh cover for 10 cr poor families announced under Ayushman Bharat
Rs 5 lakh cover for 10 cr poor families announced under Ayushman Bharat
New Delhi: Terming it as the world's largest government funded healthcare programme, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday announced the National Health Protection Scheme under which Rs 5 lakh cover will be provided a year to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country.
"We are now launching a flagship national health protection scheme to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. This is approximately 50 crore beneficiaries, by providing them up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation," Jaitley said presenting the 2018-19 Union Budget.
Emphasising that the initiative would take healthcare protection to a new aspirational level, Jaitley said the initiative was part of Ayushman Bharat and adequate funds will be provided for its smooth implementation.
"This was aimed at making path breaking interventions to address health holistically, in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both prevention and health promotion," said Jaitley.
Under the Ayushman Bharat, the government has also decided to fund Rs 1,200 crore for 1.5 lakh health wellness centres across the nation. The decision to convert the Primary Health Centres into wellness centres was taken in last fiscal budget (2017-18). However, the money was not allocated for it.
The healthcare industry termed the government's National Health Protection Scheme as an out of the box idea, saying that it will emerge a boon for the beneficiaries.
Jaitley stated that the two schemes will also generate lakhs of jobs, particularly for women.
According to Healthcare Foundation of India (NATHEALTH), a body focused to develop and optimize healthcare infrastructure, the National Health Protection Scheme will go a long way to achieve the goals of Universal Health Coverage.
Jaitley as part of the union budget (2018-19) also announced Rs 600 crore for nutritional support of Tuberculosis patients in India.
"The Government also decided to allocate additional Rs 600 crore to provide nutritional support to all TB patients at the rate of Rs 500 per month for the duration of their treatment," said Jaitley.
A total of 24 new government medical colleges have also been announced as part of the new initiative for health by the government.
"To enhance accessibility of quality medical education and health care, 24 new Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals will be set up, by up-grading existing district hospitals in the country," said Jaitley.
According to the finance minister, this move would ensure that there is at least one Medical College for every three Parliamentary Constituencies and at least one Government Medical College in each state of the country.
He said the government has provided affordable medicines through more than 3,000 Jan Aushadhi centres; reduced prices of stents; and provided free dialysis services for the poor.
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HMPV cases: CM Siddaramaiah directs officials to take precautionary measures
Bengaluru (PTI): With two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) detected in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he has directed the health and medical education departments to take all the precautionary measures.
"There is information on HMPV or China virus infection in Karnataka. I have instructed the health department to take precautionary measures, I have also spoken to Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. We -- Health and Medical Education departments -- will take all the precautionary measures to control it," Siddaramaiah said.
Briefing reporters here, he said the infections have been detected in two children. "Though it is not a dangerous virus, precautionary measures need to be taken."
"Whatever measures the health department suggests, the government will support all those measures."
The Indian Council of Medical Research has detected two cases of HMPV in Karnataka through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, the Union health ministry earlier said on Monday.
A three-month-old female infant with a history of bronchopneumonia was diagnosed with HMPV after being admitted to Baptist Hospital in Bengaluru. She has already been discharged, the ministry said.
An eight-month-old male infant with a history of bronchopneumonia tested positive for HMPV on January 3 after being admitted to Baptist Hospital. He is now recovering, it said.
Neither of the patients have any history of international travel.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) here has urged people not to panic as the virus is not as transmissible as Covid-19.
Emphasising that the respiratory virus primarily affects children, causing infections similar to the common cold, the directorate said in a release that hospitals have been instructed to report influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases.
To prevent escalation of the spread of the virus, people are advised to cover mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, wash hands frequently with soap, avoid public places if symptomatic and close contact with sick persons.
The advisory further urged people not to reuse tissue papers or handkerchiefs, share towels and linen and avoid spitting in public places.
HMPV causes flu-like symptoms including cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, it can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, especially in young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, close personal contact, and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus followed by touching the mouth, nose, or eyes, it added.
